Clear Image Solutions – Red-Dot / Iron Sight Hybrid

Well wouldya lookie here? An innovative take on iron sights courtesy of industry newcomer Clear Image Solutions. Protected by US Patent #8,925,238, Clear Image Solutions has developed a replacement front sight for iron sights that uses a free-floated dot instead of the common post. In short, its a piece of fiber optic inside a piece of glass, inside a piece of carbon steel.

The Revolution Model 1776 (their first offering) is designed for “same plane” iron sight systems such as a top-rail height picatinny rail or a rail-height gas block. Intended for use as either/both the primary or secondary sighting system, the RM1776 is battery free dot solution that does not require a tower or post which can obscure the target. In fact, the RM1776 takes great pains to ensure that the target and its surrounding area are not obstructed with a massive window.

Clear Image Solutions claims the sight is rugged enough for four foot drops attached to the weapon so vigorous 3-gunners may find value in the sight, especially “limited” users for when a battery goes out. The primary optic (assuming its absolute co-witnessed) can be used as the rear aperture.

The sight is available for purchase now, clocking in at $149.95 for the front sight and a three lens bundle of one amber, red, and green rod. Replacement lens are avalable in 3 packs for $19.95 and the red rod version can be purchased with various rod sizes (.060″, .040″, and .030″) to match the shooters preference.

My only complaint? The sight does not fold. A quick-flip version would be ideal. Oh, and I don’t have a review sample in to test.

OTHER FEATURES OF THE M1776:

Machined from carbon steel, durable and passes the four foot drop test standard

One of TFB’s resident Jarheads, Nathan now works within the firearms industry. A consecutive Marine rifle and pistol expert, he enjoys local 3-gun, NFA, gunsmithing, MSR’s, & high-speed gear. Nathan has traveled to over 30 countries working with US DoD & foreign MoDs.

The above post is my opinion and does not reflect the views of any company or organization.

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Squirreltakular

Great concept. I’d try it for fun.

Tassiebush

I’m pretty sure something similar in the sense of a glass mounted front sight was around in the early 20th century. I’ve seen them on a Lee Enfield.

micmac80

same thing just different mount

Tassiebush

Yeah very similar. It looks like the earlier ones were a magnifying lens whilst these are not. I’m glad to see the idea re-explored. I guess if it’s used with an optic effectively playing the role of rear sight magnifying it may be a complication. It’ll be interesting to see one tested. They should make a folding one.

go4it

Agree: They need a folding version.

Bigbigpoopi

Huh. CoD WaW was right.

Jay

hahaha.
as soon as i saw this that’s exactly what popped up in my mind.

Southpaw89

Looks like the mounting difficulties surrounding the original are at least removed with the use of modern rails.

guest

I have seen old Lyman and Redfield catalogues–pre WWII–in which one of the extra “deluxe” optional discs for the globe front sight is a simple thin transparent circular colorless glass plate with a tiny bead of transparent red glass affixed at the center.

I’m not bashing this company and their new sight–it may be a great product–but it’s not as though no one’s ever had this idea before.

Tassiebush

That sounds cool! Like you say it’s an old idea but I’m actually glad to see it explored again. It obviously had a following for quite some time.

Anonymous

…how does it adjust for windage and elevation?

go4it

It doesn’t. That’s done by the rear BUIS.

guest

That’s not a real “red dot” sight, and real collimating sights have absolutely nothing in common with this gimmick.

Green Hell

The sight is a dot and this dot is red, noone said anything about collimating, this is a replasement for an iron sight front post.

guest

Red Dot is also a design award, does not mean it is a gunsight either.
It’s either a red dot sight (true collimator, simplified single mirror/lens combo, holographic sight or a tube that can be dialed down to 1x magnification), or it’s not. This one is nothing but a front post replacement at best.

Nobody_4U

this was never intended as a red dot sight, it is designed to be a front sight geplacement. never was it stated to be a RDS. youll still need a rear sight.

Swarf

The headline of the article kind of does…

guest

Not only does the article, but the advertizing from the mfg. Even more confusion comes from the words chosen: “Red-Dot / Iron Sight Hybrid”. Well it’s either a front sight post or it’s not. So it is that, but a “red-dot” it is not, not in any normal meaning of those two words.

gunsandrockets

Uh, isn’t that just a variation of a Globe front sight? It’s a neat variation, but only a variation and just like a Globe front sight it would require an iron rear sight.

Clear plastic inserts are nothing new for Globe front sights, like the insert which uses the diffraction of light passing through a simple hole in the middle of the plastic to create a ring reticle.

I wonder if this tiny alteration of earlier sights allows it to be patent-able?

“.. a scintillating fiber optic member centrally embedded within said circular lens”

I don’t think they had that fancy-pancy scintillating fiber optic miracle plastic back then. They just used a red glass bead that sparkled in the sunlight.

Thomas S

I always wanted the sight off of a triple A gun on my rifle…

An interesting idea though.

JT303

Had something similar on my old bow. They worked alright, but I’m not sure how well the concept would transfer to rifles. Certainly, the price for some bowsights makes the asking price of this look reasonable.

Chris

G’day shooters, welcome to the world of archery sites!
You’re welcome.

go4it

👌👌👌

Harry’s Holsters

I want to see a drop test from 5 feet on gravel.

Otherwise they aren’t getting $150 from me. I feel like a Primary Arms Red Dot is probably more rugged.

Sunshine_Shooter

That front sight is going to snap backwards the first time it takes a half-decent hit.

Putting a sight on the market only a few *weeks* after a video game gets released? That’s a hell of a turnaround time. How about, the sights are based on the original design, not the video game.

Rhesus Feces

Battlefield 1 has a huge market and this sight was already designed. I don’t think its a stretch to think that it’s in response to the game.

iksnilol

It kinda is.

Especially considering sights like these are already in use on bows.

Richard

Call of duty world at war had something similar as well.

CS

It seems to me that this type or red-dot sight wont work very well in low light.
+1 for Aimpoint.

Laserbait

It’s only $149, there are no batteries to wear out, no electronics to fail, and water resistant to 1000M. +4 for the CIS.

roguetechie

Right, and for the same price you could get a see all open sight AND a zone plate rear sight… Which if you used flip up sights would give you two complete battery free upgraded offerings for less than this price…

Either or both of which should be much more resistant to mud and falls than this one.

Laserbait

Comparing MSRP to MSRP, the See-All is $50 more expensive ($199), all by itself. The “zone plate” thingie seems to range from $25 for an insert that screws into something to $250 for full rear sight assembly.

Christian Hedegaard-Schou

See-All is $99.

The Tritium illuminated model is $199.

roguetechie

Err… Except the worst price I’m finding for standard see all is $89… But OK.
If you want to compare tritium enhanced versions of see all to something that definitely won’t work at night we can go with that.

Justin Roney

Just need a chainsaw to hang off the bottom rail and I can finally make a Lancer replica!

rs

Perfectly functional in rain and mud!

alex waits

Nope.

Christian Hedegaard-Schou

So besides another red dot, what ARE you supposed to use as a rear sight?

iksnilol

A regular peep sight.

I mean, you do know how globe sights work? This is basically the same.

Christian Hedegaard-Schou

I figured that would be the case but wondered if there was some other “better(?)” alternative.

iksnilol

Don’t need no better. Could get a target grade peep sight, with a needlehole sized peep.

This is really cool, and I am horribly disappointed in the shooting sports industry that it took so long for someone to make something for modern rifles that I had mounted on my compound bow nearly thirty years ago. It worked great during Archery Season, so it should work a treat during Rifle Season too!

What exatly is it, a short range sight? Because they dont seem to have a specific sight part at the back of the gun. So when moving your cheek you would have accuracy errors. Or is it made in some way that you notice a wrong cheek position?

Jesus Marquez

an optic that is absolute co witness height, such as an aimpoint or vortex, is used as the rear aperture

Remington 40-X target rifle had similar in 1963. Interchangeable glass disks for front sight. Very handy. Set of six different patterns and clear or amber cost about ten bucks. Front sight disk holder was very sturdy and not as fragile as this contraption in the article.

Clear Image Solutions

Dear Charles, the sight is machined out of carbon steel, passes the 4 foot drop test and I have taken a hammer to them….you will have to try really hard to hurt it….Thx

Johannes

Your right: in fact all modern target rifles use a similar system in plexi-glass called diopter-sight, which comes in various sizes drilled/tapered holes, that look like floating circle instead of a dot!

Wingbert

If you had a red dot sight behind it would it cause you to mistake the iron sight for with the electronic sight dot?

thomas

$150?!?
Why not make them triangle?

PanatomicX

The article didn’t mention adjustability. Is it adjustable for elevation at the neck?

Jacob Westphal

I wish it was lower profile

Wow!

The easy solution is to put the slim post in front and leave the clear ring in the back and co witness them… wait, a second… I like the concept, but you can use just a regular front sight and a red dot sight aperture if you want to do this.

dlh0

Sights like this are badly effected by the angle of the sun. They tend to wash out. It also looks pretty fragile. Unprotected lens surface and scratching also is a concern. It may work for some, but not for me.

Wayneregina

I ordered one of these the next day, and took delivery on it earlier this week. I put a couple hundred rounds downrange with it at the range to get it shooting where my gun does at 50 yds, and had it out on a friends ptoperty today, where I took a fox with it. I’m very impressed with the quality of it; really bomb proof. For snap shooting I think I actually prefer it to a powered red dot; there is no mass around the optic to shield a small target with while trying to get off a quick shot. You really notice how much a RDS blocks out after shooting this. In bright sunlight, the dot ( I went with green instead of red) is very bright & crisp. Easy to install & sight in too. A really nice option to iron sights; very happy with it so far